Sinclair Caves: Won't Air Anti-Kerry Film In Its Entirety

Caving to pressure of potential lawsuits, a 12% stock price dip, Wall Street downgrades, loss of advertisers and being accused of promoting a biased political agenda, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it will only air part of the anti-Kerry film as part of a broadcast that includes a discussion of Kerry's anti-war activities entitled "A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media."

I don't know what they mean by "only part of the film will be shown", but perhaps they are only going to include highlights from the film along with a interview session with some of the POWs. Let's see if they include any opposing views.

Whether or not this will quell the uproar that has arisen since they announced that they would be airing "Stolen Honor" is anyone's guess as this still doesn't solve the problem of the pending lawsuit for insider trading.

news.yahoo.com.../nm/20041019/us_nm/campaign_sinclair_kerry_dc_7
www.nytimes.com...

It's not a full cave.

The pressure will continue.

I hope that the pressure bend then finally, is a disgrace what they are trying to do.

I think the fact that there is so much pressure being placed on Sinclair to cave is a travesty of free speech. As much as Moore and his Fahrenheit 911 and its lies and deception was lauded as an expose of Bush, so others should be given the opportunity to state their side of Kerry's actions, and like Bush he and the Democrats should be given the opportunity to tell their side of the story. When Dan Rather and his concocted documents were the news of the day I didn't hear the Democrats cry out that there should first be absolute proof - NO Bush was guilty and the documents were true. With O'Reilly the Democrats are hanging out to dry although their is just a she says and no he says.

"There is nothing in the world more shameful than establishing one's self on lies and fables." Goethe

Originally posted by Mynaeris
I think the fact that there is so much pressure being placed on Sinclair to cave is a travesty of free speech. As much as Moore and his Fahrenheit 911 and its lies and deception was lauded as an expose of Bush, so others should be given the opportunity to state their side of Kerry's actions, and like Bush he and the Democrats should be given the opportunity to tell their side of the story. When Dan Rather and his concocted documents were the news of the day I didn't hear the Democrats cry out that there should first be absolute proof - NO Bush was guilty and the documents were true. With O'Reilly the Democrats are hanging out to dry although their is just a she says and no he says.

"There is nothing in the world more shameful than establishing one's self on lies and fables." Goethe

This isn't a free speech issue--this is a media manipulation issue. "Stolen Honor" was being presented as news on public airwaves, without any disclaimer that it is a politically biased piece. Everyone involved in the production--from the director down to the marketing firm, has been proven to be a Republican operative--even the key POWs in the film making the claims against Kerry have been involved in the GOP since the 80's--one of them is even on record making statements opposite those made in "Stolen Honor". The filmmaker won't reveal his financiers, only stating that some of the film was financed by Pennsylvania veterans. Even one of the POWs depicted in the film is suing the director because he said that due to deceptive editing, his words were misrepresented.

The men making the claims in the film have been interviewed on every single news program making these claims--as have other POWs who have debunked them. They have had their chance to tell their story and it has been shown to be a misrepresentation. It is clear what these people are attempting to do--as are the intentions of Sinclair, which is why this is clearly an attempt to manipulate swing state voters right before the election.

Originally posted by lmgnyc

This isn't a free speech issue--this is a media manipulation issue.

Like Rathergate?
Or like Mark Halperin's memo?
Or like CNN analysts working as consultants for Kerry while keeping their CNN jobs?

It would be quite a great day when the Democrats admit that Moore made an anti-Bush propaganda movie filled with half-truths; and that Dan Rather should first have established the veracity of the documents before (1) airing them publicly and (2) then trying to support falsified documents with hearsay; and finally give O'Reilly the same benefit of the doubt that they would want applied to them before cheering for his demise.

However its much easier casting stones at those you don't like, but when they throw stones back at you yell "foul" loudly.

Just what is the Democrats afraid of in this film?

John Kerry can go around the country, spreading fear into the youth and seniors of this nation, on baseless assumptions and call it free speech but a television station can't air a documentary?

Liberals have got to be the most pitifullest bunch of people on the face of the earth!

Originally posted by Intelearthling
Liberals have got to be the most pitifullest bunch of people on the face of the earth!

Replace "pitifullest" with "organized" and I'd agree with you.

Behold, the power of Democracy and capitalism!

And no, Sinclair isn't capitulating at all. Just on the run.

The three pending insider lawsuits today have a little something to do with it. None filed by "Democrats" by the way.

~A featured "SH" Veteran charging libel and deceptive editing on the part of "Stolen Honor" (with a letter to Sinclair to damn well not show him on TV),

~The STOCKHOLDERS meeting to sue Sinclair executives for insider trading (including some players like the NY State comptroller of a quarter million shares),

~and the bad press from FIRING their DC News Chief today for saying SH is an inappropriate partisan hack job for broadcast, now threatening wrongful termination...

All have just a teeny tiny bit to do with what's going on here. But the end run SBGI is making is more insideous. This is like the third "clarification" they've attempted (this time citing FCC "fine happy" Colin Powell's son's pro-daddy free speech statements ), but it's more BS.

They've only reduced the number of stations airing the "news" event, but not the number of markets, while doubling the coverage. They own two stations per market (just cut to half for this airing), but now list TWO nights per station (actually doubling the in-kind contribution to Bush-Cheney) with some showing the whole film (swing states) and others running a martyrdom special on "media pressure" and activists groups.

And again, nobody is against the Swiftie clones telling their story (obviously except the ones saying they're being libeled). You can watch it right now on stolenhonor.com. It's the fake news broadcast for free that's the issue, ya France boycotting hypocrites! :shk:

[edit on 19-10-2004 by RANT]

Originally posted by Intelearthling
Just what is the Democrats afraid of in this film?

John Kerry can go around the country, spreading fear into the youth and seniors of this nation, on baseless assumptions and call it free speech but a television station can't air a documentary?

Liberals have got to be the most pitifullest bunch of people on the face of the earth!

Could you imagine the stink Republicans would make if Sinclair instead was to preempt its broadcasting and air "Fahrenheit 911" uninterrupted a few days before the election? And 'Stolen Honor' is even less of a documentary than Fahrenheit 9/11 is.

As Rant pointed out, there is something insidious to what Sinclair is doing:
They are attempting to present 'Stolen Honor', which is obviously political propaganda, as news to get around having to grant the Dems equal time.
They have fired people in their organization that have objected to the integrity of the decision to air the program.
They have ignored their fiduciary responsibility by not operating the company in the best interest of the shareholders, AND
They apparently have commited stock fraud because they were aware that the decision to air 'Stolen Honor' would negatively impact the stock price and sold their holdings prior to making the announcement public.

John Kerry has nothing to fear from this film--the claims have already been aired on every network and the damage has been done. Sinclair should give the Dems equal time or not air the broadcast.

And if they are going to turn this into a "news" broadcast, they should be objective and discuss all the evidence that has been uncovered about how other POWs have said that these POWs claims are bogus and that everyone associated with the film is on the Republican payroll. Just presenting one side of the story isn't news--it is propaganda.

: Originally posted by Intelearthling
Liberals have got to be the most pitifullest bunch of people on the face of the earth!

from RANT
Replace "pitifullest" with "organized" and I'd agree with you.

OK..

Liberals have got to be the most pitifullest organized bunch of people on the face of the earth!

Unfortunately for the fired guy, he work in maryland. Maryland is a right to work state and you can be fired for cause and there is nothing you can do about it. While the Democrats may take joy in an attempt to bring down Sinclair, in the end it the people who work at Sinclair who will remember that the Democratic party are the ones who caused their economic status. This is another example of how the Democratic party has become brown shirts taking down anything or anybody who dares to say something about their guy, Kerry.

Why do you assume that just because a POW is against Kerry that he is on the Republican payroll. What does Kerry and his supports fear, the same people who lauded Micheal Moore are not trying their best to stop this film.

Americans are watching the action of the Democrats, They see the Crack for Democratic Votes, They see the manual which states that cause problems where no problems exist, they see the brown shirted attempt to silence a critic. We will remember on Novemeber 2nd.

History will record that the late 1990's and early 2000's were a time of trail and turmoil brought on by the Democratic hatred for the Republicans, for any thing that is conservative and for their hate filled, fear and smear tactics used.

The Democratic party has to use fear and smear because they don't have anything to offer America, but Socialism, Big government, and a failed social security system.

Originally posted by lmgnyc
And 'Stolen Honor' is even less of a documentary than Fahrenheit 9/11 is.

Impossible. Nothing is less of a documentary than that garbage F911.
Stolen Honor plays back recordings of Kerry. It's funny that Kerry is
upset and claiming libel. What?? Did he libel himself? ha ha ha

Stolen Honor is historical. Senate testamony. News footage.
Interviews with people who lived through the POW camps.

F911 has (at least) 50 or 60 errors not to mention the general manipulations (already discussed at length on numerous threads here).

I saw a two or three minute clip of Stolen Honor on FOX last week.
It was very powerful and historical.

Originally posted by jrsdls
While the Democrats may take joy in an attempt to bring down Sinclair, in the end it the people who work at Sinclair who will remember that the Democratic party are the ones who caused their economic status. This is another example of how the Democratic party has become brown shirts taking down anything or anybody who dares to say something about their guy, Kerry.

You just don't get it. You keep posting the same thing and you can't or won't get to the heart of this PARTICULAR issue. It is illegal for Sinclair to use its FCC licenses to the public airways to air politically slanted programming without providing equal time for dissenting views --- and that holds for ANY party. The lawsuits are primarily coming from stockholders who see Sinclair's action for what it is and are afraid that the company execs are misusing their positions and that this will damage the comapny (and their share value). If their intent wasn't to affect the election they would have taken the suggestion to air this AFTER the election. They don't want to. This says it all. If Sinclair employees (minority or otherwise) lose their jobs the blame rests SOLELY on the executives of Sinclair.

[edit on 20-10-2004 by jtma508]

Oh I get it alright, CBS can use forged Documents to discredit the President, they can do anything they want because they are Democratic leaning. ABC can go to Vietnam and try to praise Kerry, but they have a memo which states that it their duty to support Kerry and show him in good light. both are of course free tv, but where is your outrage over this, why didn't they give equal time to the Republican party. This is nothing more than Kerry and his supports scared that America will discover the truth. That he cares more about his image, than he does about America. What kind of leader runs away when he can and leaves his fellow band of brothers behind. Kerry is a liar, He did not do two tours in Vietnam. a tour was one year, he did 4 1/2 months. What a liar.

No you obviously don't get it. CBS did use bogus docs and got burned by it. You can't pull-off something so obviously wrong without getting hung by it. CBS tried (whether their motive was political or just greed for a spectacular scoop) and got hung by it. They DID present the other side, in-spades I might add, and are paying the full price for their action. Every network (just like every newspaper) undoubtedly has its slant but are still REQUIRED to follow law regarding use of public airways. Period. You simply cannot rationally equate what Sinclair is trying to do and an ABC memo looking to present Kerry in a positive light. In Sinclair's case they are FORCING their affilliates to pre-empt normal programming to air a specific program. One last point. As I understand it, Sinclair is now saying they will not air the entire 'documentary'. A documentary ceases to be a documentary when it is not shown in its entirety.

Originally posted by jrsdls
Why do you assume that just because a POW is against Kerry that he is on the Republican payroll.

It has nothing to do with being against Kerry--George "bud" Day has been very active in the GOP, even in the Reagan days. Google him yourself--he has also been on several Republican veteran campaign committees. Along with Ken Cordier, Paul Galanti and other POWs, they are part of a Vietnam Vet "dog & pony" show that shows up anywhere in the country every time the GOP needs to show that they have support from Vets. They campaigned for all of the George Sr, Jeb & Jr, McCain & other Republicans.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Stolen Honor is historical. Senate testamony. News footage.
Interviews with people who lived through the POW camps.

The footage in this film is altered to change the meaning, which is why it is considered to be libelous. Kerry's senate testimony is edited to change the meaning of what he said. Even the interviews are edited--which is why one of the POWs in the film is suing the director. His interview was chopped up and the meaning of his words was changed. If you discredit Moore for his tactics, you have to also fault Carlton Sherwood.

The POWs interviewed (and some of their wives) offer not one iota of evidence supporting their claims--and only three of the thirteen POWs interviewed actually make claims against Kerry (not surprisingly, these are the Swift Boat Vets.) Phil Butler, a POW who was held with these men in the same place have said that their claims are bogus. John McCain, who was also held with these men--Bud Day was his CO--has also denounced the claims that they are making. Both Butler and McCain have also said that after Ho Chi Minh died in late 1969, their treatment improved greatly and the torture stopped. Kerry gave his testimony in 1971--how could they have been tortured over his testimony if they weren't even tortured at that time? Clearly someone is lying.

The POWs talk about their capture and brutal treatment, and then talk about how they hate Kerry. Kerry's testimony is not offered as fact--especially because it is misrepresented. They are relying on emotion to sway the viewer--not facts. It is a 45-minute Swift Boat Ad.

Even the interviews are edited--which is why one of the POWs in the film is suing the director. His interview was chopped up and the meaning of his words was changed. If you discredit Moore for his tactics, you have to also fault Carlton Sherwood.

No actually the one lawsuit that has been filed was by one of the VVAW soldiers who stated that the he was libeled because the words used in the documentary said that some of the people who were not even veterans. he claims this defamed his character.

The POWs talk about their capture and brutal treatment, and then talk about how they hate Kerry. Kerry's testimony is not offered as fact--especially because it is misrepresented. They are relying on emotion to sway the viewer--not facts. It is a 45-minute Swift Boat Ad.

Kerry's words are out there for everyone to hear. His presence at a meeting where the assissination of U.S. Senators is a fact, his meeting with the Viet Cong in Paris is a fact. His refusal to sign form 180 is a fact. What is Kerry hiding?

Why is it wrong to question a man about his stances he took as a young man. This is the same guy who went to see Daniel Ortega along with his pal senator Harkin, when he was freshman senator and decided that Ortega wa right and the U.S. was Wrong. Kerry has favored the enemy, those who we oppose more than he has Americans. He is actually what he claims, an Internationalist who cares more about world opinion than Americans.

The real issue here is the fact that it is illegal to run this sort of partisan garbage within so many days of the election, and given that it is broadcast during local news segments without revealing its sources is outright violation of campaign laws. While the FCC tolerates it, the campaign laws do not. Sinclair has been running a commentary now for months during local news broadcasts, and just to illustrate the effect, a woman here wrote to local news paper wanting to know why Kerry was being featured on the "news" in events that were 20 years ago. They are giving the illusion that this is news when it is partisan advertisments. And the difference between Moore's 9-11 documentary and this stolen honor bit, is that Moore's film is not being portrayed as news, and it isn't being broadcast right before the election. And to be perfectly honest, who the hell wants to watch anybody bashing a combat veteran when the alternative canidate was drinking, snorting coc aine and not showing up for fortunate son guard duty while others took bullets? Stating your opinion is one thing, pay for it like everybody esle and reveal the sources and interests of the responsible parties like everybody else, broadcasting your opinion the day before the election and portraying it as news is illegal.

Cave is not realy the case.

They through out a scape goat-fired someone

They are only running a "news" program based on the anti-Kerry film

They are only running it on 40 of the 57 stations they control

cave-no, they just toned it done a bit-IMO!